🎹Yamaha P125 vs Kawai ES110 Digital Piano Comparison, Review & Demo🎹

[@PakBudiTarigan]

Based from sound, i believe 1. Yamaha is best for cutting band 2. Kawai better for solo piano

[@midnight4109]

That's a good way to sum it up. The Kawai is closer to an acoustic piano although nothing equals.

[@Instrumental-Covers]

I think that statement is overly simplified, whether you refer to real acoustic pianos or these two digital pianos. Real Yamaha and Kawai pianos are both fine for solo performances. When it comes to digital pianos, I hear this Kawai model making harsh bright tones in fortissimo, which is actually a type of sound called "studio piano" used for mixing for cutting band. In that regard, the Kawai is sounding more like an acoustic with worn out hammers. The Yamaha P125 is not making that metallic sound the ES110 does, which would be better for solo piano.

[@theryanjester7209]

These two are both excellent choices. For me, it comes down to what you're trying to do with them. The yamaha seems better for gigging and modern styles of music, and the Kawai seems more suited for the classical pianist.

[@aBachwardsfellow]

- interesting - I'm a classically-trained pianist and thoroughly enjoy working with the P125. One thing that's being overlooked is that you can change the tonal response - at least on the P125 - by changing the touch sensitivity settings. Setting it to soft gives the P125 a considerably brighter sound, setting it to medium gives a more mellow sound, and setting it to hard gives an even more mellow sound which makes the action feel heavier. Setting the volume also changes how light or heavy the action "feels" - at a high volume the action "feels" lighter, at lower volume it feels heavier. When I practice I set the volume just slightly lower so that I have to play with added force to get the level of response that matches an acoustic piano. This helps strengthen my fingers, and also when I play an acoustic piano it feels easier than the P125 - works for me!

[@alastairsmith2868]

@@aBachwardsfellow vgv'

[@jc_compo]

@@aBachwardsfellow Excellent information. Thank you!

[@Instrumental-Covers]

I think that idea is pushed mainly by Kawai dealers (just go to a Kawai dealer and you will see). Their pianos are muddier than Yamahas, so they feel that is automatically a ticket to claim they are more "classical" than Yamaha. Merriam Music is also a Kawai dealer (not a Yamaha dealer), so I expect them to share that sentiment. But in reality both companies make acoustic pianos that can be used for all sorts of genres. When it comes to digital pianos, neither company makes digital pianos exclusively for "classical" or "jazz", so to speak. Each model has "concert", "mellow", "bright", "ambience", and so on, piano patches to choose from.

[@jacqepapara7898]

I’m no musician but the kawai sounds better to me👍

[@francisjohntv1612]

Fellow musician here. Pretty interesting, Es110 has that sound that makes it a little better than P25, though not questioning the quality of Yamaha instruments because they always had been the best. This time, sound and budgetwise, I prefer buying Kawai Es110

[@StefanConstantinDumitrache]

And it may be cheaper.

[@wa7saka]

@@StefanConstantinDumitrache don’t they cost the same?

[@pianowhizz]

@@wa7saka depends on the country. In Singapore the Kawai instruments are 30% more expensive than they are in Australia (because there is only one Kawai dealer in Singapore/Malaysia and they employ cartel price gouging). I paid USD $445 + tax for my brand-new ES110 in Australia. I paid USD $600 + tax for my brand-new P-125 + L-125 stand + LP-1 triple pedal board in Singapore. Both represented the best value entry level pianos in their respective countries.

[@radiradev2387]

Great honest review! I tried them both in a shop, was looking to get a present for a friend who just started playing the piano, ended up choosing the ES110. The action and the sound made it the clear winner. I was looking for a digital piano that is really piano focused, this was the logical choice and my friend loves it.

[@50andCountingcom]

Your review confirmed my choice as well. Thank you for your input.

[@MegaMech]

I really like the second piano sound with the reverb set to high.

[@SR-em8nl]

Radi Radev - aw. You sound like a good friend. Need any more friends, Radi? ;)

[@unchainedcrochet446]

I need a friend like you! What a thoughtful and generous 🎁

[@Instrumental-Covers]

You should be aware that Merriam Music is a Kawai dealer, not a Yamaha dealer. They also have a school of music who follows the Kawai School of Music program. Their classrooms are fitted with Kawai pianos. Stu is a spokesperson for a business company who sells Kawai, not Yamaha. They state the P125 was an Amazon purchase they made for the reviews... which of course must show that Kawai is "better" using an intelligently designed persuasive strategy. A lot of the things he says here are just opinions, not facts. Other equally qualified musicians may disagree with his statements. He is not speaking absolute truths here. I personally prefer the P125. I don't see how the ES110 is the clear winner at all, the most you can say is you personally like the ES110. He also makes mistakes in his effort to push Kawai. Want an example? At 2:03, he made up that part where he says the ES110 has a two-way speaker system. Apparently, he ignores the proper terminology for what he attempted to describe: it is called a COAXIAL speaker. Kawai does not use that type of speaker, in fact the ES110 has just a pair of 12 cm full range speakers, not coaxial speakers. Roland uses coaxial speakers in some models. Kawai doesn't. The ES110 has a definitely inferior speaker system, lacking definition in the treble due to lack of tweeters present in the P125. He uses a lot of a type of terminology called "weasel words" (look up the term), which are pretty meaningless when analyzed seriously, but if you are just watching a video, and not stopping it step by step to decode the style used, you will end up believing the ES110 is much a better deal. It is not.

[@bborg8368]

As the new Kawai ES120 just came out, a comparison between that and the ES110 would be very helpful. Thanks

[@christopherhume1631]

That Yamaha pedal was making a very distracting sound whenever you pressed it. For a while, I thought some sort of metronome effect had been activated.

[@TheBlupp666]

I thought the same exact thing or that the keys made weird sounds during play

[@stolenname94]

@@TheBlupp666 I got a p125 recently and can confirm the sound is very much a real thing. However you shouldn't settle for whats in the box and instead get the 3 way pedal for the unit. You will need the official stand or I guess you could make adjustments to another bench but the dimensions for it are unavailable. I made this mistake and ordered the 3 way pedal unable to use it because I got an x stand. So it cost me more in the long run which was frustrating but only about 100 more than I would if i had been smarter. Its 100% worth getting the 3 way pedal because now you can half pedal the sustain as well as having all the functions of an upright. It's makes no noises for me bit I have heard some people say it gets alil squeaky over time but won't cut through your playing you will just feel it more than anything.

[@NoBootyBeauty]

I wondered what that sound was! TY for the heads-up!

[@flarfschnikelman6780]

@@stolenname94 does the 3 pedal unit have the same noise issue as the pedal that comes with the p-125 or not?

[@hcb3636]

@@flarfschnikelman6780 No, those particular clicks are specific to the free pedal which is a hollow, light plastic footswitch. The 3-pedal unit is far better. Its chrome tongues have some horizontal play though, which you may or may not find somewhat annoying.

[@anthgee296]

I like the Kawai piano tone and touch, Yamaha organ sounds are really nice.

[@Tropbear]

Do you notice when you press the notes on P125 gradually from pianissimo to fortissimo and vice versa.. the tonality of the notes doesnt change, only the volume does, in contrast to kawai, I can hear the notes tonality gets brighter (piano strings get more audible) as you press the notes harder. So, in P125 it is as if the volume is digitally changed according to your finger power.

[@davidbaez8442]

It is actually a point in favor of Kawai as this is how real pianos behave. Yamaha is using cheaper sampling on this model and that is why increasing the finger power does not change the dynamics of the sound.

[@BERNARJE]

At first I thought that can't be... But after listening and reading your comment it totally is what is happening. It makes a huge difference.

[@hussamasmar]

Yes this is due to harmonic imaging in kawai. Yamaha doesnt have this sampling. Kawai samples every key on 8 dynamic levels. Thus you get different tone from ppp to fff

[@benjaminsmith2287]

It's actually there in the Yamaha because I'm familiar with them. It's very subtle. But it's there.

[@aBachwardsfellow]

- unfortunately we're only hearing the P125 at one setting - and not really sure even which one it is. The assumption would be that it's some sort of "default" / out-of the box setting. To hear more of the string resonance, setting the touch sensitivity to "soft" considerably brightens the instrument. The volume setting also affects the touch response - in conjunction with the touch sensitivity. However this also seems to be a characteristic of Yamaha's tonal design in their acoustic instruments as well - which is what the P125 is sampled from. Yamaha's grand pianos do not seem to change timbre between low volume and high volume and pitch, which makes them "consistent" in one respect, but more "sterile" in another respect when compared to other grand pianos (Steinway, for example) which (like the human voice and musical instruments) change timbre and have a more lyrical "singing" quality .. .

[@JitinMisra]

Man you are on a video output binge after some leave .. I enjoy them even though I already own a nice piano. I love that you give your impressions and opinion , others don’t do that!

[@MerriamPianos]

Well, you know Jitin! We have to feed the beast!! lol...all joking aside once you get into a bit of a routine, these videos are a blast to make. Thanks for the comment. -stu

[@mauriciolacruz]

Apart from the traditional Kawai's warmer piano tone vs Yamaha's brighter piano tone, all of the sounds coming out from the Kawai seem to be muffled or lacking clarity, whereas on the Yamaha seem to be all brighter and with more definition and transparency.

[@jc_compo]

Well said. Yamaha here I come.

[@YoItsM0]

Damn... that bit where you compared the dynamics @ 4:50 completely *shat* on the yamaha - honestly you can just end the review right there hahaha. Now to see if there's anything significantly better than the kawaii

[@nr92cp6]

100%. I had always played acoustic pianos and had never really played a digital piano before trying the P125. This exact lack of dynamics and change in timbre as i played harder IMMEDIATELY turned me off. Kinda blown away by the Kawai on the other hand.

[@danielbogos263]

The Roland fp10 or 30 is very comparable to Kawai. I think i like roland. And the Roland fp-10 for its price, even though the features are less is in my opinion best. The technology in the roland fp10 is crazy. So if you don't miss the 190 polyphony and what the best acoustic piano experience definitely the fp10 deliveres

[@pranavgautam96]

@@danielbogos263 FP10, in terms of sound, is not better than the ES110?

[@coprilettodelnapoli5466]

​@@danielbogos263better than casio px-160?

[@danielbogos263]

@@coprilettodelnapoli5466 i don't know how is that px 160 but i know that roland fp30 is way better than yamaha p45 which is pretty much same as p125 when it comes to sound quality.

[@JohnDonasco]

bought the Kawai because of this. Thank you!

[@stephaneenglish4661]

Took me a while to work out what it was but, to me, the Kawai sounds like it’s being played somewhere across a room (except the attack, which has an over-pronounced, high frequency component sounding like the strings are being hit by something metallic). The Yamaha, meanwhile, sounds much more up close. If I was using it in a home recording, I’d want the Yamaha, so I have more control over the ambience effects I add to it. I really want to like the Kawai, because of the dynamic range and the quality of the pedal, but for me the Yamaha wins purely on the clean piano tone. Yamaha has better other sounds, too, though that’s a bonus which could be covered by an outboard module, so the piano sound is key.

[@user-ed3uh9pd9z]

Thank you so much for your review. I have considered which to buy for months but I finally decided to go for KAWAI ES110. :)

[@kantib.anondewar8769]

Me too. I also had a Kawai ES100 and a Yamaha P-45. Personally I preferred the slightly heavier touch required on the ES100, and, for me, the ES100 had piano sounds which were fuller and sounded closer to that of an acoustic piano. This trumped (no pun intended) the unquestioned clarity of the mid and upper range of the Yamaha.

[@محمدالخلفي-ط1ل]

@@kantib.anondewar8769 P-125 winner 🏆 best piano of 2020

[@yesterdaysfire]

the es110 is also the only MSRP digital piano on the market right now in this price range that offers 5-pin midi I/o instead of the standard-ish USB-B port on the rear.

[@fvdL1446]

When I bought IT a year ago I played all the competitors in stores, having been using Yamahas since the 1980s. Your demonstration reassures me that I chose well, wanting the most acoustic-like Instrument of the price-region: the Kawai ES110, no doubt about that. I'm quite happy with it!

[@johnbisp]

The Kawai pedal also have half-pedal function. With the Sound and keybed‚ I will go for the Kawai es-110 that gives 5 years warrenty.

[@MerriamPianos]

Great choice, hope you enjoy!

[@colecothran6516]

Mine only came with a three year warranty...

[@aron2922]

Its not likely that if you were serious about piano you would stick with a 500 dollar piano for 5 years tho

[@piotrrostow]

What a great review of those two pianos! And it’s been published only 5 days ago. I am in the process of getting an instrument in this price range and you helped me so much in making my decision. As I would like to focus on its piano function predominantly it’s no brainier for me now... Adding your own view to this video makes it so much more informative. Honestly, well done!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks very much Piotr, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! -Stu

[@scythefox9430]

Thanks for the review, I will go with Kawai ES110 for gigging. I always have some trouble w/ string resonance during our gig. whenever my rubber contact sound silly or destroyed. . . . . . . Kawai ES110 has no string resonance but has piano sound 👍

[@virgilgray778]

Many years ago I toted around an EP608 and it about killed me. I now have a P125 and would not ever give it up. I would highly recommend this keyboard.

[@illusionyx907]

Hi, this p-125 keybed is noisy, loose or slippery for fingers...?

[@pianowhizz]

Thanks for pointing out that the Yamaha key action is not slowed down by fake escapement, and for pointing out that the Kawai has a more grippy key surface texture (this is a big consideration for people who's fingers sweat). I'm surprised that most other reviewers neglect to mention important factors like these. I would also like you to review the weight grading consistency across keys - e.g. the variance in weighting between A0 and C8: acoustic upright pianos and grand pianos only have about 3 grams of difference, whereas some digital pianos are all wonky with a 20-gram spread (e.g. Casio & Roland - but you can sometimes fix these using a Dremel!).

[@aBachwardsfellow]

I'm also surprised that most reviewers seem to be unaware that the quality of the sound and the corresponding perceived weight of the action can be altered considerably by modifying the touch sensitivity setting (at least on the P125) in combination with the volume setting. For example, on the P125 setting the touch to soft gives a considerably brighter sound, setting it to medium gives a more mellow sound, and setting it to hard gives an even more mellow sound which makes the action feel heavier. Setting the volume also changes how light or heavy the action "feels". At a higher volume the action "feels" lighter, at a lower volume it feels heavier. Also, setting the volume too high or too low narrows the perceived dynamic range. I find on the P125 that setting the touch to hard and the volume to about the 8th or 9th dot gives the most usable dynamic range for most of my practicing.

[@SR-em8nl]

aBachwardsfellow - jeez. How many times have you copied and pasted this comment on the video? I’ve counted at least 5. Do you work for Yamaha or just need to convince yourself the P125 is better because you own it. If it works for you, great. You made yr point. Let it go...

[@aBachwardsfellow]

@@SR-em8nl 1. I don't work for Yamaha 2. I am particularly impressed with how well-suited, well-built, and well-priced - among the many choices available - the P125 is for good solid piano study and practice - in addition to other things, 3. as a piano teacher, I'm offering my enthusiastic and professional appraisal of the P125 to those who may benefit from it in their pursuit of a suitable instrument for serious piano study and practice. 4. I'm concerned at the repeated oversight that seems to be continuously missed that the P125 - and probably other instruments as well - can be tailored in terms of touch and sensitivity, and I offer that insight as well (not only for the P125) to help inform readers in their evaluation of any instrument - especially if the settings have been changed in a showroom such that the instrument is not well-represented (any instrument) - just something I feel people should be aware of when trying out instruments in a showroom. 5. I'm aware that there are many other instruments which have as much or more to offer (sometimes at greater cost), and may be more ideally suited for others' preferences - I'm mainly addressing those who seem to be inquiring on the usability of the instrument for serious piano study 6. the cut-and-paste is to provide a full context for each reader for their consideration - 'k? :-)

[@illusionyx907]

@@aBachwardsfellow hi, what about keybed of p-125, if it noisy, loose or slippery...?

[@aBachwardsfellow]

@illusionyx907 I would rate the keybed of the P-125 as good to very good. It is not clacky or loose, the key depth is 3/8 inches which is identical to my Yamaha U1 (acoustic), so the transition between the P-125 and the U1 is almost seamless. In any case you should try it in person to decide, but I would say it's worth looking into. Hope that helps.

[@franmorr1966]

Wonderful review! Where originally I thought I would favor the Yamaha, I would lean to Kawai now.

[@johnnyalucard9704]

I'm buying the Kawai today. it better be shipped neatly! it better come with a good bench that doesn't make my back hurt! Can I Bluetooth to headphones? I hope they can ship to Kashmir, Tibet!

[@roddelfernando]

I saw them both on the store. Im glad i bought the kawai. Yamaha is always so synthetic.

[@OscarDad]

just BEGINNING my research to support my wife who wants to rekindle her interest in piano ( tool lessons as a kid years ago ) .. her interest is Piano .. ( versus all the bells and whistles, electrivc, organ etc etc ) .. seems to me after pretty quickly narrowing the field to Roland FP10, Kawai ES110 and the Yamaha P125... that the ES110 might be the right choice... shell have to touch them to feel the keys I guess, and listen in person.. any would be fine, but since I play guitar and believe a quality instrument will take you further... want to spend time and energy to get the ‘right’ one. Thank you for your excellent demos 👍

[@aBachwardsfellow]

OscarDad - I'm sure any of those you're looking at could be serviceable. You may want to be aware that on some of them - probably all of them - it's possible to alter the sound you hear by changing various parameters, such as touch sensitivity, reverb, volume, etc. In the stores it's hard to go by just what you're hearing, because someone may have previously changed a setting to their liking that's not to your liking. When I'm trying out instruments I like to download the user manual from online and see what settings are available. Then I print out pages with some of the settings and take them with me so I can change them and hear the difference. For example on the P125, setting the touch to soft gives a brighter sound, setting it to medium gives a more mellow sound, and setting it to hard gives an even more mellow sound which makes the action feel heavier. Setting the volume also changes how light or heavy the action "feels". At a higher volume the action "feels" lighter, at a lower volume it feels heavier. Also, setting the volume too high or too low narrows the perceived dynamic range.

[@amlecciones]

At 5:38, I feel decided on the Kawai ES110

[@BushBumperBaker]

I hate everything Yamaha. They're the Gibson of paino's. They make overpriced instruments that underperform when compared to cheaper alternatives.

[@mikewellwood1412]

The Kawai sounds lovely. But I noticed when he was playing it, it was rocking all over the place (didn't affect his playing though). The Yamaha seemed rock solid. Don't know if that's the stand that comes with it, or just some random stand.

[@abz124816]

random stands.

[@JimBluePiano]

Been watching several of your digital piano reviews over past couple months, and enjoy them👍. Very informative & helpful. Thank you👏😁.

[@batshevanivylerner8582]

the default piano sound on that Kawai ES110 is stunning for such a cheap digital piano, at least as i'm hearing it on this video.

[@PakBudiTarigan]

I love both of sounds, different characters

[@aBachwardsfellow]

- note that - at least on the Yamaha P125 - the characteristics of the sound can be changed considerably from mellow to brighter by modifying the touch sensitive settings ..

[@maximusheronimus23980]

into buying a "portable jam instrument" used to a p90 in my studio space... i'm very much impressed of the Kawai against the Yamaha

[@ddr5ecc768]

Such a fluent and enjoyable review!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ChristofRoeyaert]

Chiming in a little late but I'd love to hear your take on the Casio PX-S1000, how its keybed compares to the P125, FP30 and especially the ES110. And keep up the good work, love the channel !

[@Razzer0693]

I bought the es 110 and been using it since past 6 months, feel free to ask me any questions if you have, i also have a few speaker test/ sound test videos on my channel as well if you're curious. I don have a fancy interface or anything so it sounds really a lot more different.

[@jaymehta924]

Is es 110 better than yamaha

[@Razzer0693]

@@jaymehta924 its personal preference man. i prefer the es110 over the yamaha p125 anyday because the piano sound is so much more realistic on the 110 . the 125 sounds fake in comparison, if you've never played on an actual piano you wont know the difference. also yamaha has better build quality and i think itll last longer tan the kawai.. its just my assumption though.

[@erykbugajski7747]

How's is the es110 holding up ?:)

[@Razzer0693]

@@erykbugajski7747 i bought it on May 11th, been playing minimum an hour a day, maximum 5 hours a day till today. its exactly the way it was on day1. I improved my skills, piano is perfect ! i learnt how to alter the settings now :D

[@tarshe12]

do you find the stand shaky at all? I've watched a few other reviews and it seems to wobble a lot. It's the only thing stopping me from buying it

[@hussamasmar]

Kawai ES110 has 100 rythems built in the Yamaha p125 has only 24. I am afraid you missed this and mentioned that Kawai doesnt have rythems. On the pedal, Kawai pedal has half pedaling while Yamaha shipped pedal is only a switch pedal.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hussam Asmar thanks for the comment - I was specifically referring to the intelligent accompaniment / rhythms with the Yamaha that the Es110 doesn’t have (the ES8 does have them by contrast). You’re absolutely correct that the ES110 has basic drum rhythms loaded on, and quite the selection of them :) thanks! -stu

[@therigrat1124]

I enjoy your videos! ES110 has rhythms. :)

[@benmiss1767]

Thank you very much! This is exactly the kind of video I was looking for! A detailed comparison, with a real description of the differences between the two pianos, and understandable for the beginner I am! Could you please compare the ES-110 with Roland's FP-10? I've heard that the FP-10 is the best under $500, and the ES-110 is the best under $800, but is the $300 difference worth it? Will the FP-10 be frustrating after a few years of training? Thank you very much, your videos are awesome!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hey Ben, thanks for the comment. The ES110 has an edge when it comes to speaker power / quality, and it does have a higher polyphony (192)....HOWEVER, if you are only going to use this for personal use, and likely never gig with it or use it for semi-professional or professional use, most of the practical differences come down to just a few feature differences. There isn't really anything inherently better about the ES110 in terms of action, or quality of tone. What the extra $300 gets you is bigger speakers, audio line outs, better onboard recorder...everything else is just personal taste.

[@benmiss1767]

Understood, thank you very much for responding! 😁

[@ahojahojish]

Hi Stu, thank you for the review! Also, if you do find a yamaha p515 lying around in your store, I would love the shootout between that and the fp90 maybe?

[@105robmajor]

Kawai has rhythms, but they are simple drums rhythms that are ostensibly variations of the metronome. The Yamaha rhythms include bass and drums. Together with the piano you have a cool three piece combo sound.

[@105robmajor]

I read the Kawai Owner's Manual and there are a number of ways the user can vary sound elements such as brightness for example. In this video, the Kawai did not sound as bright as the Yamaha, but that can be changed. I suggest that yo download the manual as I did to learn more about what this instrument has to offer.

[@aBachwardsfellow]

@@105robmajor - exactly! thanks for joining in - I've been "annoyed" that most of the youtube reviewers seem to be completely oblivious of the extent to which the sound and perceived touch of the action can be altered by modifying the touch sensitivity setting (at least on the P125) in combination with the volume setting. For example, on the P125 setting the touch to soft gives a considerably brighter sound, setting it to medium gives a more mellow sound, and setting it to hard gives an even more mellow sound which makes the action feel heavier. Setting the volume also changes how light or heavy the action "feels". At a higher volume the action "feels" lighter, at a lower volume it feels heavier. Also, setting the volume too high or too low narrows the perceived dynamic range

[@TonyOMalleyTV]

The Kawai ES110 has Midi In & Out and Bluetooth but no USB port, unless it's hidden somewhere, like the input for the 3-pedal connection underneath the keyboard on the left, which doesn't seem to get a mention in the manual... but the ES110 has a lovely feel!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Tony - great catch, thanks for that! I've blurred the relevant slides to make sure no one gets confused.

[@micconiko]

I owned yamaha p-45, P200 and Cp300... I've tried both of these 2 pianos and for me Kawai is much better...sound, feeling of keyboard and piano is realistic...for me Es-110 is definitely better than P-125.

[@heinzgilbert]

I have Es110 and recorded a few classical pieces on my channel. Its a very good digital piano it just have a slight issue on polyphony when changing pedals.

[@swekiwi4517]

@@heinzgilbert "when changing pedals"? Can you elaborate?

[@heinzgilbert]

Swe Kiwi it cuts all the sound even to the notes you just played and are still holding. It might have a slight issue on which notes to cancel 1st in its polyphony specially when using the sustain pedal.

[@swekiwi4517]

@@heinzgilbert ah! You are using more than one pedals (those sustain ones)! I guess this won't be a problem if you only use one, right?

[@heinzgilbert]

@@swekiwi4517 Im only using the sustain pedal and I am using the one given by kawai itself, This has a thread somewhere. forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2754376/kawai-es110-delayed-sound-problem.html

[@dgewo]

Hi, and thanks for that detailed comparison. During your playing, the Kawai seems to be moving all around the place, while the Yamaha seems more stable. Do you have them mounted on different stands? Also, I took a look today at the Kawai in a store, and the plastic cover seemed sort of flimsy. Like, it would move if I pushed down on it. Is this something you feel too?

[@RyanFernandezRoa]

How I wish I have that. It has been my dream to have my small music studio with a keyboard so I could teach kids music. But everything seems to be an impossible dream.. ♥️ I'll just enjoy listening to this and watch piano on KZbin ♥️☺️ great review sir.. ♥️ God bless you always and your family ♥️

[@logiarhythm6285]

The Yamaha has by far the best secondary instrument samples of them all in this price range (ES110, Roland FP30, Casio PX-S1000), but the worst Piano samples... Please Japan, I'd like to have a digital piano with Roland's keys, Kawai's piano samples and Yamaha's controls.

[@aixide]

Is Roland Japanese too? Didn't know that.

[@tomoyo9025]

You read my mind here hahaha

[@anbajonj]

Be careful what You wish for - maybe Chinese will make Your FrankenSteinway - they all manufacture in China.

[@logiarhythm6285]

@@anbajonj Many music companies actually produce in Malaysia, like where my Roland is actually from. And some Japanese companies still produce in Japan afaik, especially with higher class products. Also, the conceptions and engineering is mostly done there. But yeah, many key components are probably coming from Winnie the Pooh's autocracy.

[@anbajonj]

@@logiarhythm6285 I would pay premium to avoid CC Nazi. Really would.

[@lopezb]

To me the Yamaha sounds better, more like a real piano. But maybe it's different in person- or playing in headphones- or recorded!

[@sanjeethedwin1334]

Awesome review mate! Kawai has more warm rounded sound, 88 key sampling makes a lot of difference

[@patricj951]

Thanks for a great review! I am planning to replace my Yamaha PSR-S710 keyboard with a digital piano. While have been enjoying it for several years I feel as a beginner as soon as I try a real piano because of the SO heavy keys. I really need to exercise with weighted keys and want to learn playing for real instead of using light keys and accompaniment function. I have read reviews with comparison between Yamaha and Kawai models in the same price range. P125 vs ES110 and P515 vs ES8. According to the comments to the videos in both cases a majority consider Kawai is the winner when it comes to realistic piano sound. That's matters for me: I want to learn playing piano and enjoying realistic piano feeling. But while P515 has bluetooth function and ES8 has not, it's the opposite case when it comes to P125 and ES110. Strange I think! Also the included pedal is better with ES110 than P125. I strongly consider to get Kawai ES110. I have no possibility to compare Yamaha to Kawai side by side, though. I welcome opinions about this!

[@patricj951]

Well, I have got enough information. Ordered a Kawai ES110 W. I am sure I can't go wrong with it.

[@patricj951]

Yesterday I received ES110. Great instrument and I like it. The keys feel realistic to acoustic piano. Very nice sound. Yes, I can hear it's not an acoustic piano but what to expect from any digital instrument in a small plastic box independent of price, and this is an excellent performer for the price. Actually amazing piano-like sound and it's even better with earphones. Now my journey to real piano playing starts!

[@aBachwardsfellow]

@@patricj951 - you may be able to adjust the relationship of feel and sound by altering some of the settings. I don't know about the ES110, but I have the Yamaha P125, and for example, setting the touch to soft gives a brighter sound, setting it to medium gives a more mellow sound, and setting it to hard gives an even more mellow sound which makes the action feel heavier. Setting the volume also changes how light or heavy the action "feels". At a higher volume the action "feels" lighter, at a lower volume it feels heavier. Also, setting the volume too high or too low narrows the perceived dynamic range. For my practice, to help strengthen my fingers I set the touch to hard and the volume a little lower so that I have to play more firmly - then it makes playing the acoustic piano seem easier then the digital instrument by comparison!

[@juaniconditi3123]

About es 110. In your opinion, does the key have a good weight?

[@saiteja1786]

Loved the comparison here...is there a duet mode on kawai es110 ? If not can we use split mode to use 2 separate piano sound ?

[@armsby]

Hi! Thanks for the great reviews. I know this one is a year old but still it would be nice to know if you turned the EQ off on the Es110 before recording? A design fault on ES 110 routes the speaker EQ to the line outs and actually ruins the sound.

[@007silverwings]

Tempted by the ES110 over the P125. I see a lot of the first batches of ES110 had a lot of random gaps between keys. Has this been resolved in recent years?

[@loss2570]

Wondering the same...

[@pianowhizz]

Still present. I purchased a new ES110 in February 2022 - still one or two key alignment issues causing noticeable gaps.

[@darz3829]

I bought a Kawai ES100 7 years ago and the buttons are having trouble. Cheap quality. I was told it will cost around $300 to repair those. Also, for those who want to gig - not having a readout to tell you what setting you're on is a real pain.

[@trombulan]

Does Kawai has quality issues?

[@deepakdaniel1846]

Which one is best according to you ???? As, I am planning to buy ...... please help me & suggest me ....

[@GeorgePopov]

i have been using digital keyboards for more than 10 years. what I have to change them is the wear - some of the keys start to sound louder. I want a keyboard that I'm sure will work for a long time So the question is: which keyboard is more reliable over time?

[@BobJJ9999]

I'd like to know this too! Which have you found faulty?

[@nostgeoffhi-fi]

You will have to learn to remove/replace keys to clean them from dust and debris every year or so. This is for any plastic keyboard. The dust can affect the key electrical contacts and affect the sound or even make 'dead' keys (no sound). Also plastic keybeds on many major brands can be replaced completely also if they break or wear out the plastic. But by this time you may just get a new digital piano. I still believe analog wooden pianos and wooden keys are the best for longevity, but need to be tuned professionally every 5 years depending on playing and environment.

[@trombulan]

Yamaha has better build quality

[@willishuang3660]

Just had to chime in - I have a Yamaha home-style (nonportable) YDP-144 that I thought was great. Then I just got the Kawai ES-110 for a portable option, and after a few hours of playing it, the superior action, much more complex tones (especially with sustain, it's amazing actually, where the Yamaha just sounds like it holds the same note with no resonance), and ease of use, I am planning on selling the YDP as soon as possible - it's just SO much more fun and enjoyable to practice and play the ES110. (Again, I'm comparing to a YDP-144 Yamaha, not the p125)

[@jeffreyzhou4307]

Could anyone tell me the name of the pieces at 5:50 and 6:04? Really like how they sound and would love to learn them. Absolutely in love with your playing and candid review style btw! :)

[@joseduranrodriguez4762]

I have the p125b but god damn.... the kawai sounds so good... I’m regretting it now 😂😂😂

[@nodoubt46able]

wow, what language.....

[@aBachwardsfellow]

- have you tried experimenting with the touch settings and reverb settings on the P125 ? Setting the touch to soft gives a considerably brighter sound on the P125. I'm not sure if we're hearing this review with the actual speakers or thru a direct line , but you can also port the sound into external mods and tailor it further. I have a P125 and have been able to get it to sound just about any way I want - but I don't just play it with the same settings all the time - I change them to be what I want for whatever I'm working on.

[@srijansingh8124]

Just remember one thing, its still better than Roland fp30 😂👌🏻

[@fortepiano4491]

3:14 "It's a brighter town." Stealing that for a song name.

[@Taichientaoyin]

I just love kawai s tone and I want to buy kawai, lovely

[@WoodyPianoShack]

thanks for many great videos!

[@raybert999]

Thank you for all your videos, very helpful

[@MerriamPianos]

Glad you like them! Thanks Ray, cheers :) -stu

[@CarlyWaarly]

We will get the Kawai, we are in the UK, otherwise we would happily order from Merriam after these reviews.

[@vccranker]

Not to be a pest (maybe it will seem that way) but.. I am assuming the recording apparatus / method is essentially the same for each? I can hear the wide dynamic range of the Kawai that was mentioned, but I wonder why I feel like I have a cotton ball in at least one ear when the Kawai is played in this video, yet not when the Yamaha is played (which sounds very clear). Don't get me wrong, I came to this video, hoping to find something better than the P-125 I currently have on loan. Regardless, thank you so much for this much needed, popular comparison! : - )

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi vccranker, yes recording methods were the same for both. The Kawai does have patches that sound closer to the Yamaha, but their concert grand has a classic EQ curve on it that boosts the bass and highs and suppresses the 1-2k range slightly, which may make it seem muffled to some ears. It's resolvable by patch selection or working with the Virtual Technician. Thanks for the question! -stu

[@pranavjayaprakasanut]

Yamaha p515 vs kawai es8 ultimate showdown!

[@Sadiesdad1233]

Very timely and helpful! Thanks

[@keemagngarayngay272]

Hello is there a way to fix key spacing for Kawai ES110? key spacing is awful

[@dhruv496]

Great! May I ask if the korg pu-2 pedal is compatible with kawai es110? Please just take try if this will work. Thank you for reading my comment. New subcriber here!

[@scwyldspirit]

Something I read about the Kawai is that the sustain peddle has the ability to do 1/2 peddle, which can be controlled by the piano or through the bluetooth app. Is that what you found?

[@swekiwi4517]

Have you found this out?

[@MK-dg6qj]

I doubt ES110 has an app

[@pabloquesadamartinez5405]

@@MK-dg6qj but It has

[@alpahanum3862]

@@MK-dg6qj Oh oh oh, it does.

[@alpahanum3862]

Read the description

[@terrylaguardia6838]

Very helpful, many thanks!!

[@henrikpettersson2886]

I listened to several reviews of both the Yamaha p125 and the Kawai es110 and I always find the Kawai to sound pretty sharp and almost painful to my ears in the higher register, especially when its played loudly. I dont know if its KZbin that compresses the quality of the sound that makes it so or the microphones the KZbinrs uses or maybe its my speakers. But I do hesitate to buy the Kawai because of that reason. I wonder if anyone that had hands on access to the Kawai would hear a difference compared to how it sounds on youtube. I dont want to go into a musicstore now during Covid so Im relying soley on KZbin-reviews. Othere then that issue I would prefer the es110 as it seems to have a better/lighter action and a more sensitive action. I will only play classical pianopieces. The Kawai es110 also looks pretty nice:)

[@armsby]

Hendrik P. There is a design flaw in the output stage of the Es110. The speaker EQ is routed to the line outs! So in most reviews you're hearing that bent EQ. What a shame as the samples are exceptional. The EQ can be switched off though, all be it until next power up.

[@henrikpettersson2886]

@@armsby Thanks, that's very good to know, I had no idea that was the case. I just googled it and found forum threads discussing this subject. Its a god thing that it could be switched off at least. Do you know if this thing with the EQ also effects the sound when using headphones? Or if that line out is treated differently. I'm sure I will use headphones 99% of the time as I live in an apartment with thin walls. If it effects that lineout to its just to put the option to off I guess.

[@armsby]

@@henrikpettersson2886We're lucky - the Headphone output is linear.

[@henrikpettersson2886]

@@armsby Thats great. Thx. Ordering it next week when my vacation starts. Got to be home for DHL:)

[@TheGolfTh]

Literally thinking about yamaha one but maybe I’ll have to rethink about it and do more research about the Kawai one..

[@OnlineMD]

The Kawai ES110 is currently unavailable on Amazon.....what seems nice for $1200 is the Yamaha Arius YDP-144 including the console, bench etc. The more expensive Kawai digital pianos like the CN29 now feature speakers made by Onkyo.

[@kennyng5866]

looking to buy a Kawai but it is very difficult to come by in the place I'm found.

[@sandud8290]

Yamaha: 02:40 Kawai: 04:00

[@calebe.732]

Excellent video. I would much like to see some Casio models in these comparisons, be it the PX160, S1000, or their stage models. To see how their soundstacks up to the likes of these two and what does one really get for the dollars extra few dollars. Thanks and keep it up!

[@marimbadearco]

Re-pasting most important comment here for everyone, a reply so may be missed: Instrumental Covers 7 months ago You should be aware that Merriam Music is a Kawai dealer, not a Yamaha dealer. They also have a school of music who follows the Kawai School of Music program. Their classrooms are fitted with Kawai pianos. Stu is a spokesperson for a business company who sells Kawai, not Yamaha. They state the P125 was an Amazon purchase they made for the reviews... which of course must show that Kawai is "better" using an intelligently designed persuasive strategy. A lot of the things he says here are just opinions, not facts. Other equally qualified musicians may disagree with his statements. He is not speaking absolute truths here. I personally prefer the P125. I don't see how the ES110 is the clear winner at all, the most you can say is you personally like the ES110. He also makes mistakes in his effort to push Kawai. Want an example? At 2:03, he made up that part where he says the ES110 has a two-way speaker system. Apparently, he ignores the proper terminology for what he attempted to describe: it is called a COAXIAL speaker. Kawai does not use that type of speaker, in fact the ES110 has just a pair of 12 cm full range speakers, not coaxial speakers. Roland uses coaxial speakers in some models. Kawai doesn't. The ES110 has a definitely inferior speaker system, lacking definition in the treble due to lack of tweeters present in the P125. He uses a lot of a type of terminology called "weasel words" (look up the term), which are pretty meaningless when analyzed seriously, but if you are just watching a video, and not stopping it step by step to decode the style used, you will end up believing the ES110 is much a better deal. It is not.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Thanks for taking the time to check out our channel and writing in! We sincerely appreciate it. We are transparent about the lines that we carry at our showrooms and, to that point, there is ultimately a reason why we decide to carry certain lines and models. It is namely because we love what they offer musically! :) With that said, we always do our best to be as objective as possible given that the piano experience is deeply personal and every player will resonate with a different musical experience. That is why we are never afraid to compliment a manufacturer or model even when it is not one that we carry at our showrooms. In terms of mistakes and inconsistencies, we always strive to present the most accurate information when it comes to specs and design elements. We are human though and, periodically, despite our best efforts, we may slip up. Thankfully, we have an AMAZING community of piano enthusiasts that collectively possess an impressive amount of knowledge and drive to explore piano specs in great detail. Our community members are awesome and always help to add further insight and correct information when necessary. Thanks so much again for writing in and contributing to our evergrowing community! We appreciate it immensely and always welcome the discourse. At the end of the day, we are all unified by one distinct commonality: we are all diehard piano nerds that love the instrument. ;)

[@geminimuziq]

Your one of the best pianist ive heard !

[@MerriamPianos]

Stu is immensely talented and we're very lucky to have his guidance, wisdom and virtuosity! :)

[@francescodefendi3201]

Thank you very much...useful review! 👍🏼

[@yj7000]

Perfect review, however I somehow turned from comparison mode to audience mode at some point without noticing haha

[@marko8718]

This was very helpful, thank you

[@crabbydad8931]

you the best! wish everyone who made 88 keyboards also made same in 73/61 key

[@MerriamPianos]

I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu! That would be quite convenient, but I'm not too sure how large the market is for 61 and 73 keys. Plus, many players using instruments of that size are playing styles of music that are more conducive to using a synth action keyboard opposed to a fully-weighted action.

[@jigarkachhia809]

Hey, Please Help in deciding which one I should purchase. I m very much confused between Yamaha P125 vs Kawai ES110 I want it for my home, for practice!

[@robertoceccarelli1697]

These two are both excellent choices. And which is the difference with a FP30 Roland? I cannot try their sound in this period :( On the other hand what do you mean, with "yes the Kawai does have drum rhythms, but not the auto accompaniment / intelligent rhythm accompaniment that the Yamaha does" ? Thank you.

[@mayankpanwarbsr]

Firstly congratulations to you for the channel .. really liked the simple and yet so useful review of the product .. actually I am thinking of buying this piano for myself so I have a few things to ask .. 1. Would it be better to wait for some time expecting Yamaha to launch the successor of this model (2018)in the near future looking at their trend in timeline ( every 3 years ) and also because ‘summer NAMM 2020’ is just around the corner ? 2. Although I am not much experienced in this but from all what I could research I understood that ‘Action of the keys’ and ‘sound quality’ are the two most important things .. so I would be so thankful if you share your experience a little more elaborately .. is the ‘GHS action’ and those ‘7 watt amplifiers’ and 4 speakers sufficient enough to give that ‘FEEL’ ? .. are there some other options in the same price range which I should consider ?

[@aBachwardsfellow]

One thing that's being overlooked is that you can change the tonal response - at least on the P125 - by changing the touch sensitivity settings, which in turn changes the perceived "feel" - very important! Setting it to soft gives the P125 a considerably brighter sound, setting it to medium gives a more mellow sound, and setting it to hard gives an even more mellow sound which makes the action feel heavier. Setting the volume also changes how light or heavy the action "feels" - at a high volume the action "feels" lighter, at lower volume it feels heavier. When I practice I set the volume just slightly lower so that I have to play with added force to get the level of response that matches an acoustic piano. This helps strengthen my fingers, and also when I play an acoustic piano it feels easier than the P125 - works for me!

[@elizabethvhwong]

Stu, could you review Yamaha P-515?

[@pranavgautam96]

What do you have to say about ES110, compared to the FP10 and the Korg B2?

[@aBachwardsfellow]

One thing digital piano reviewers seem to overlook is the degree of "tailoring" that can be done to get the touch / response and sound the way you want it. The instruments are played and compared as if that's the only the way they can sound - which completely overlooks the reason the touch sensitivity settings are there, and how they work. The P125 has 3 touch-sensitive settings - soft, medium, and hard - which significantly change the brightness. Add to that the volume setting - to play softer - turn the volume down one or two dots - it also gives a wider dynamic range. I wonder when we will see included in these reviews changes in the touch sensitivity and volume settings and how they affects the "touch" Playing these instruments and comparing them at johnny-one-touch settings barely tells the story ...

[@alicaramba7680]

But that's exactly what average buyer of these instruments want - to sit down and play, not to mess with settings you quickly can get lost in.

[@2HellWUtube]

Screw that! I want to buy your piano playing skill. Can you send a link please?

[@konarkpure5946]

,😂😂

[@ndby227]

P125 has a ticking sound on the keys aftr playing. Do you hear that or its just the recording. Then Kawai doesnt have it

[@Pe6ek]

Isn't it the pedal you hear?

[@ndby227]

Pe6ek thanks. It’s the pedal indeed

[@user-dima93]

Great Video, thank you! :)

[@jimmyhernandez7558]

Piano sound of p125 is "too beautiful..too perfect" that it lacks the natural sound characteristic of the accoustic piano. Kawai did a good job indeed!

[@justsaybobby]

Do you think any of these companies will be releasing newer models anytime soon?

[@mgdornex4315]

No, they will not

[@aight365]

@@mgdornex4315 what makes you think?

[@zephelia1299]

Hnggg, I prefer Kawai omgggg

[@Cyb3rAssassine]

I'd love to see a Yamaha P515 vs Kawai ES-8 "shootout"

[@MerriamPianos]

So would we! We'll put it on the list of vid's to get made :)

[@frolilapume]

What about the Korg D1 action? Would you say it's better than the Kawai es 110?

[@Falconconcerts]

Sorry mate the ES110 has got drum rhythms and quite a few of them. Try the lesson button. It’s all in the manual!

[@wowawewah]

ES110 has more of a live sound.

[@Phouanesavath2]

Can you compare kawai es 110 and Casio privia px 870

[@specmellon7635]

Good review 👍

[@martinpablosierra5290]

what do you think about kurzweil mps 110 accion?